Burger on Smith

My partner and I stumbled across this restaurant accidentally one night when I was craving a burger and a not-​too-​diner-​ish setting. The burgers were very good but I felt the menu was limited, the service was minimal and we were seated at a window booth so, when a large party later sat down at the table next to us, we were literally trapped, making it impossible for us to get out of our seats or for the waitress to get to us.
As good as the burgers were, the stupid set-​up of the tables and the poor service will prevent me from going back… No burger is good enough to make up for it!

Horrible service. Marginal food. Never going back.
Literally, the server didn’t smile once and acted mad we were there. The burgers were just ok. Food is no better than many other spots and for the attitude issues it’s not worth it. Also, they put tip into check a 18% and deserved nothing. Annoying experience.

There was nobody there when we walked in at 12:30 on a Sunday. Perhaps should have taken that as a sign. The burgers themselves were bland and so were the ingredients on my «Left Coast» (avocado, some forgettable goop and a roasted tomato). The bun was actually pretty good; in fact, the best part.
Won’t go back — there are too many other options.

I’ve ordered from this place last friday and I regret it.
I should have consider to throw away my money through my window and it might have been a better option.
The burgers were less than ordinary. The only thing that was good it was that they cook it right as I ordered. But the ingredients, were not yum at all. The baked potatoes weren’t good, mediocre as Five guys french fries.
I give it only 2 stars because I think it’s overpriced for what it is.

They have a variety of creative burger options to choose from including a lamb burger which I hear is really good.
I was in a plain mood so I opted for a plain ‘olé cheeseburger with lettuce and tomato. It was really, really good. The burger had a lot of a flavor and was a perfect medium temp.
Here is where I deduct a few stars… I really like pickles on my burger and they don’t have sliced pickles. They don’t take cards which is really annoying, so cash only. I also find that $ 12 for a burger with no fries is a little pricey.

The Traditional burger with a fried egg on top is pretty damn good. But anything with runny eggs eventually turns into a mess.
Burgers don’t come with fries, but comes with some sort of sauerkraut. A basket of fries is enough for three people to share comfortably. The garlic/​parsley tasted exactly as described (maybe a bit too garlicky), and the baked potato fries were crisp and bacon-​y.
I would give this place 5 stars, but something odd happened while we were there. Waitress asked if we wanted to see the dessert menu, and we mentioned that it was two of our friends’ birthdays, so we said sure. Didn’t end up ordering dessert (selection isn’t great), but she did end up bringing us a sundae with a candle in it. We figured it was on the house since we didn’t order it, but when the bill came, we were charged for it. Not sure if it was a mistake and it was only $ 8, but we were running late to a party and didn’t have time to dispute it.
Either way, I hope this place stays in business, as it always seems rather empty and the space is actually huge. Great vegetarian options too!
Cool bathrooms with vintage print ads too.

I’m shocked by the negative reviews on here. I am very picky when it comes to burgers and this place completely won me over. Let me just premise this with saying that a few weeks before I went here, I went to 282 Burger and was thoroughly let down. My hunt for a better local burger was on.
I came here with my bf on a Monday night and it was pretty empty. No complaints about the service whatsoever. Everything came in a timely manner and the waitress was very nice.
My bf ordered the soup of the day, Broccoli Cheddar soup, and I got the artichoke appetizer. Both delicious.
I ordered the Friday Night burger. It was cooked perfectly (I ordered medium), unlike the medium burger I ordered at 282 that came well done. It was perfectly pink in the middle and super juicy. The flavor of the truffle vinaigrette went perfectly with all of the toppings (especially loved the roasted tomato). Was it messy? Yes. Do I care? Not at all. If a burger isn’t messy, it’s likely dry. Which is no good.
My bf had the First Date and loved it.
We shared the spiced fries, which tasted cajun-​y. Perfectly crisped and flavorful fries.
For dessert, we shared a black and white milkshake. The waitress brought over the extra which ended up being almost close to a full second glass. So yummy.
I hope Burger on Smith lasts given all the competition around. It really is one of the better ones in BoCoCa. If you like a juicy, flavorful, perfectly cooked burger, definitely go here.

I’m very confused here, Unilocalers, very confused. I just do not understand the rave reviews.
I just moved to the neighborhood and had looked forward to trying this place each time I walked by. Finally, went in and ordered the Friday Night burger and I was just greatly disappointed with the whole meal. Maybe something went wrong, but my dinner companion (who likes everything) was also disappointed so it wasn’t just me. But it honestly tasted like someone had knocked over a loose-​lidded salt shaker all over my plate. The burger tasted like a mouthful of salt, the arugula was drowning in it, and even the coleslaw was salty. I just don’t understand.
The emperor has no clothes, people!

Excellent décor and solid service.
Unfortunately this is still not the best burger in the neighborhood. Got to go with 282 for that.

When did food in BK get so expensive like Manhattan? I swear if it’s not for the coupon and fact my gf loves it, I would never go back there again. Same stuff probably around the corner might cost half the price but hope it’s safe to eat.
So why is it a four star? Well fact is their burger is good, really good or too good. Their fries are super. I almost wanted another order to go but the fact I have to look around to my figure sigh.
This is a great place for a date with the romantic inside seats and a brunch place with their semi outdoor seats. Well hope I can find again coupon to go back again :)

I went again this past Saturday and I wasn’t disappointed.
This time I had the west coast burger (I believe) and the «Friday» burger… they both were delicious. The patty was delicate… almost melting in your mouth.
Good service.
Solid spot.
:-)

I’ve walked past this place more times than I can count and always said,“This place looks good, we should try it.” Today, I finally did.
Started our meal with the roasted artichoke and meyer lemon aioli and it was to die for. The Left Coast burger was also quite tasty and the spiced fries were killer. The one thing I noticed was how I didn’t feel like I had a burger. You know what I mean. I felt full, but not stuffed and didn’t have that ‘omg, why did I just do that’ feeling either. Bonus!
This is also the first time I’ve been able to redeem a Scoutmob deal — 50% off your bill!

Like
The space
And the beer–
Burger happy
Hour for 12. Bar Tabac tastes better.

Björk-​tacular!
Why do I characterize Burger on Smith that way? Because the night I was there it was oh so quiet.*
Seriously, staff outnumbered diners on a Tuesday night and I felt kind of bad. Some bad, generic R & B was pumping through the speakers and «Unstoppable”**, a terrible movie with Denzel Washington was showing on the TV behind the bar.
It’s clear this place is still getting it’s sea legs but I am going to give it another try and you should stop by as well.
Short review: Worth another shot, food is decent, service tries hard. Hopefully will find its way. A very positive three stars.
And for those with longer attention spans, the unabridged review:
On the plus side, everyone who works there is super nice. They really want the diners to enjoy their meals. Also, the space is beautiful. I love the design, from the front room, to the dining area, the bar, the restrooms… the attention to detail is astonishing. Truly gorgeous.
They only had bottled beers, although a semi-​decent selection. However, the guy who helped me said the tap system should be installed within a week so with tap beers on hand, that will definitely up the ante.
The food was fine. Didn’t blow me away, though. Had the traditional burger, which was pretty good. Very juicy and the tomato was great and I loved the horseradish aioli, but other than that, it was just okay. The baked potato fries sounded better in concept than reality. Maybe the spicy fries would be better.
The layout is weird. There was no cash register behind the bar so the server had to go to the host stand, which is located kind of in the middle of the restaurant. Just kind of bizarre as there was often nobody behind the spacious bar.
Service tried hard but was a little uneven. Even though there were not many customers, the various servers seemed unsure of who was waiting on whom, which led to at least four customers sitting there for a long time without anyone checking on them.
I think these issues are minor and will get ironed out. When the tap beer comes online, I’m going to try this again because I can see the potential. Then I can have a proper burger and a draft and maybe bump this up to four stars.
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* here’s the Spike Jonze-​directed video for Bjork’s „It’s Oh So Quiet“
**“Unstoppable»? I say unwatchable!

The food here is good enough, but the prices are a little steep. I had the veggie burger and it was good, but for $ 12 it really ought to come with something more than the tiny cup of cole slaw on the side. We also ordered the spiced fries which were tasty and in a nice-​sized portion, so $ 5 seemed reasonable for that. But two people getting burgers, sharing an order of fries, and ordering nothing to drink for $ 32? Seems nuts. I get it that these are «special» burgers but they ain’t that special.
Considering the size of this place (it’s gigantic!) and the fact that they serve almost nothing but burgers, I have a hard time imagining they’ll last very long. Especially when you consider that the burger renaissance already seems to be over-​saturating the neighborhood (Two 8 Two Burger, Shake Shack, 5 Guys, Mooburger, etc. It’s out of control!!)

It is a rare time in Brooklyn that I disagree with almost all the reviews. (That was common in Baton Rouge, as evidenced in such reviews as my list of places I went multiple times that I wouldn’t have if I wasn’t living there for three years). At a burger place, when I opt for the chicken on a list of burger options, I expect a chicken *burger*, not a grilled piece of chicken on a bun with burger toppings on it. Okay, maybe it’s not fair to judge based on that, maybe I should have asked what format my bird would arrive in. But also, our wait was too long, and the very nice server comped two beers to make up for it. But furthermore, the appetizer came at the same time as the meal after requesting it come first, and in addition to not being what I expected, my sando was nothing special, nor was my husband’s burger, nor were the buffalo wings app.
With Moo Burger, Shake Shack, Smash Burger, Two 8 Two, etc. nearby, this place is right in the burger corridor of Brooklyn. The chicken burgers at Moo Burger are a world apart in taste and a only few blocks away, so Burger on Smith is going to have to do better than this if they want to make it.

At a time when new burger places are popping up all over the place I didn’t think there was a need for yet another such restaurant. I was wrong.
On a Saturday night my friends and I wanted some simple comfort food, burgers (veggie in my case) and fries. We headed to the the neighborhood burger hot spot Moo Burger and were turned off by the long line and wait for a table. Their burgers are good but they’re not THAT good. So we headed to Smith and discovered Burger on Smith. What a pleasant surprise! The new restaurant was nearly empty, had tons of space and some delicious burgers. With a varied menu that offered some amazing burger varieties like lamb, rainbow trout and veggie burgers with quinoa and avocado (yum!) as well as spicy and garlic fries, there was something for everyone. The only thing I stopped myself from ordering was a milkshake which while I’m sure is delicious, cost a whopping $ 9.
I’d definitely return to Burger on Smith.

Very fast service and a delicious burger. My only complaint is that the people at the desk charged me extra for «The Landmark» despite not adding the ingredients promised (such as the arugula, and garlic aioli). This was a minor issue as all four of the burgers I ordered for take-​out were promised to be ready in 25 minutes and indeed they were. The place looks really nice and will definitely get business in the summer with that awesome patio and the great location at Baltic and Smith.
The quality of the beef and the Portuguese muffin were excellent. I really enjoyed it cooked medium-​well and I’m sure it would be as good medium-​rare. Grade A, Grass-​fed is the way to go these days!
I’d definitely recommend it and this will probably be the go-​to burger spot for BoCoCa (I hate calling it that) residents.
Heads up, they do take credit!

Both my husband and I are vegetarian, so we are always cautious when trying out new places — especially burger joints! We were, however, pleased to discover they have a good amount veggie options.
We both got The Nutty Professor which is completely vegan. I was SO excited to find out that they actually make their own patties instead of using a frozen MorningStar one like 67 Burger and Soda. It made all the difference in the world. I was told afterwards that you can add toppings like cheese, mayo, or even a fried egg to it and will will definitely be doing that next time.
Possibly the coolest thing about this place though is that they get green chilies shipped in from Hatch New Mexico! Having a husband from Albuquerque I’ve grown to become addicted to the stuff and crave it after every time we visit. It’s amazing that there’s a place we can now get access to it on any given evening! Now, if we could just get Burger on Smith to put green chili cheese fries on the menu I would be in heaven.

Full disclosure: I was invited to the friends & family soft opening of Burger on Smith, because I know one of the fine gentlemen behind the venture. As such, my meal was discounted to the tune of 40%. I can assure you, however, that neither this discount nor my deep and heartfelt affection for this beautiful, sexy man has any bearing on this review. Because I’d never lie to you, as you are my true friend.
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Burger on Smith is the new joint that took over the space on the corner of Smith & Baltic. You know the one, entirely encased in glass, that will be amazing when it opens up along with the warm weather. The space itself is much bigger than I previously thought, with lots of booths inside past the greenhouse/​atrium-​type thingie, a horseshoe bar, and I believe a bar downstairs as well.
The menu is full of tasty-​sounding items like Movie Theater Nachos, an artichoke that looked incredible on nearby tables, and wings I will certainly return for. There’s also a chicken sandwich on the menu called the Harissa Explains It All (references to early 90s Nickelodeon are always crowd-​pleasers, in my experience). However, when you walk into a place with «burger» right there in the name, you better get yourself a burger. It’s common sense. It’s why you get pickles and olives at Pickles & Olives, meatballs at The Meatball Shop, and so on and so forth.
Seeing as how it was our first visit, we each opted to try one of their house combos. One of us got the Friday Night (beef, fried egg, caramelized onions, oven roasted tomato, arugla, truffle vinaigrette on the house bun) and the other, the First Date (beef, cheddar, fresh onions, pickled onions, caramelized onions, arugula, garlic aioli on the house bun). Beef is definitely a good call, because it’s coming from my favorite meat shop, Paisanos, down the street.
Now, believe me when I tell you that the people in this kitchen know burgers. They are burger experts, or burgersmiths,* if you will. Both my lady and I were given burgers that were cooked perfectly to order, well-​seasoned and juicy; every bite was a delight and I shed a tear when they were all gone.
And although the flavor combinations were excellent (I give the slight edge to the First Date, despite the runny egg on the other), I think next time around I’m going to go with the DIY burger, because maybe I want a lamb burger on a Portuguese muffin, with Taleggio, yogurt aioli, serrano peppers and apple relish. What I’m trying to say there is that they have endless, wonderful options that you can combine to your heart’s content.
Now, as with any brand-​new establishment, there are a few service kinks to get out. I’m certainly not going to dock them for it because that would be churlish, to say the least. But our server did need a little more practice (or any) with his iPhone pad, and he wasn’t as familiar with the menu as I’m sure he’ll be next time around.
Also, we did order the Baked Potato Fries (deliciously crispy hand-​cut fries with chives, crème fraîche and crumbled bacon on top), but they were embarrassingly naked when they arrived with our burgers. Thankfully, our waiter let us keep the ordinary fries. Unfortunately, when the correct order arrived they were so addictive and salty and fantastic that we were forced to stuff entirely too many of them into our faces until we felt ill. But that’s really on us, rather than the waiter.
Basically, if you like burgers and you live anywhere near Smith, rejoice.
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*Get it? This place is called Burger on Smith. It’s a play on words.